Papers of John Adams, volume 21
rd.1794
I received your favour,1 and return you my sincere thanks
for your condescention in complying with my request: the work is now
published, and I hope it will answer my purpose; but of this I cannot be
certain, but whether it does or not, I am equally oblijed to you.— War hurts
my business much, and prevented me printing it in 4to.—
With this, you will receive a Copy, of which I beg your acceptance: the portrait is engraved by one of our first Artists; it pleases much many of your friends, as it is a most excellent likeness & well executed.—
I was much pleased with your Opinion relating to France, and so were several of our great Men, to whom I in confidence, shewed that part of your letter: the political Opinions of great and leading Men in all countries are very acceptable; the leading men in this, as well as yours, I am convinced mean well, though there are some very bad ones on both sides the Atlantic, and who would rejoice to see us at War again, but I trust & hope their hellish spirits will not be gratified, as it is much the interest of both Countries to be on the most friendly footing.— I shall at all times be much pleased to receive a few lines from you.—
Mrs. Stockdale desires her
kind respects, and I beg you to present mine to the whole of your family—and
in particular to your eldest Son, of whom I have the pleasure to hear a very
favourable Account;—
I am / Dear Sir, / With the greatest respect &
esteem, / Your Much Oblijed, and / Very Humle.
Servt
P.S. You will also receive half a Dozen Portraits of
Mr. Adams, which will be very Acceptable
to any of your Absent children.—2
RC (Adams Papers); addressed: “John Adams Esqr. / Vice President of / the United States,
&c / Boston.”; endorsed: “Stockdale / 1794.”
Of 12 May 1793, above.
These portraits, not found, likely derived from the
engraving that Stockdale printed on the frontispiece of
JA’s
Defence of the Const.
, London,
1794, which drew on John Singleton Copley’s 1783 painting of
JA (
AFC
, 5:xvi–xvii).